Denmark

This year, the Danish Psychoanalytical Society celebrated its 25th anniversary as a component society of The International Psycho-Analytical Association. We had particularly good reasons for celebration as in recent years, we have witnessed a prosperous period with an accession of candidates greater than ever before. The anniversary was celebrated with a banquet at which almost all members with their guests were present.

During the banquet, the president, Dr. John Vitger felt called upon to summarize the history of the Danish society. Psychoanalysis come to Denmark much later than to other countries. A start was made in 1933 when Jenö Harnik, Georg Gero and Wilhelm Reich came to Denmark. However, this did not leave any traces. It was not until 1951/52 that a second and succesful start was made, when Nils Nielsen from Sweden and Thorkild Vanggaard and Erik Bjerg Hansen, both having received their education abroad, started a psychoanalytical movement. This resulted in the formation of a Study Group in 1953 and recognition as an independent Society of the IPA at the Congress in Paris, 1957.

After a reasonable development during the beginning years, a precarious stagnation set in in the late 1960s and in the beginning of the 1970s. However, since 1975 there has been a trend towards a renaissance with several new candidates every year, stagnation thus being replaced with growth, and pessimism with optimism.

The president emphasized the importance of the accession of candidates from southern Sweden. He thanked Danish as well as Swedish members and candidates for their considerable efforts, which have been the basis of this propitious development.

Concluding the historical summary with all good wishes for the future, the president quoted a Danish philosopher, Villy SoSrensen, who has said about democratic society that one should not aspire to prosperity based on contentment with present circumstances but rather on a feeling of endeavouring to be innovative in society, als